Thursday, July 3, 2014

HOTEL CHECK FRANCE, Evian Resort

Evian water gushes out of a sublime mountain towering above Lake Geneva. Also under that mountain lies Evian Resort. Our Product Director Neil Bedford samples its beauty, its waters, and even its famous golf course...

Neil declares it a haven for discerning golfers with plenty to do for any not-so-avid-golfer companions.

Water and mountains at Evian Resort

View from Hotel Ermitage - balcony of Lake View Suite

The Resort

Within Evian resort are two unique hotels: the illustrious Hotel Royal and the family-friendly Ermitage Hotel. The resort offers a wide choice of restaurants and one of the best golf courses in Europe – The Evian Resort Golf Course – which every year hosts The Evian Championship. An excellent golf academy plus two spas including thermal baths complete the picture. There are resort shuttles than run between all of these locations while the resort also owns the casino in Evian village.

The resort itself is owned by Evian (the water) who also own Danon (the yoghurt) and many other companies. The revenue generated from these two business’s have helped deliver the owners’ dream of creating an unrivalled golf course that places a firm emphasis on it’s minimal environmental impact. Evian Golf Course is now firmly on the international map as it now hosts the (Womens) Evian Masters in September and is considered one of the best courses in Europe.

Accommodation

The flagship hotel at the resort is Hotel Royal, which has seen many famous guests and been a byword for deep traditinal luxury since 1905. Now it has been totally refurbished to add lustre to its long and famous life as a spa resort. Its little sister Ermitage was also renovated in recent years and is a very comfortable place to stay, particularly for families.

Hotel Ermitage (4*)

Completely refurbished by the Parisian interior designer Patrick Ribes in 2010, Hotel Ermitage nurtures the feeling of a family home and the choice of raw materials like wood, stone and leather forge links with nature. Elevated higher up the slope and further from the lake than Hotel Royal, the hotel's lake views are excellent. I recommend Deluxe Lakeview rooms on a high floor to maximise the views.

Ermitage room

Lake view suite Ermitage

Ermitage, perched on the mountain

Hotel Royal (5*)

Hotel Royal re-opened in the first week of July 2014. It gives sensational unobstructed lake views from most rooms and if you book a higher floor you will enjoy mesmerizing views over the water to Lausanne (in Switzerland). Hotel Royal also has its own restaurant, bar and terrace as well as a large indoor-outdoor spa.

Golf

It is a beautiful Par 72 course with lake views from much of it. The course is exceptionally well maintained and the facilities are world class. The narrow fairways will certainly test the accuracy of your driving as we found it! A bonus feature is the separate Golf Academy which is a golfer’s dream. Numerous ranges with the latest technology, putting greens, bunker practice as well as a beautiful 3 hole short course with different tees and flag set ups on each hole to test your ability/even things out against your partner. Normal price for the academy is €60 per day but hotel guests use it for free. This is a real drawcard for golfers of any standard.

Non-golfers

While the prime reason for coming here is the golf, there is lots to do to keep non-golfers busy and happy. The high standard of modern accommodation, excellent choice of bars and restaurants, plus friendly and efficient service….not to forget the magical spas and the views…means the resort is geared up for everyone. The nearby village of Evian is very pretty and worth taking the funicular down the steep hill for dinner or a walk around. Slightly further afield Geneva (45 mins) and Lausanne (35 mins by boat) are close enough for day trips while other attractions are the beautiful Medieval towns of Yvoire and Montreux (a lovely 3 km walk from Chateau de Chillon, made famous by poet Lord Byron).

How to get to Evian Resort

Airport transfers from Geneva international airport can take just 45 mins though you do need to go through the centre of Geneva and at rush hours (7-10 am and 3-7 pm Monday-Friday) the journey time can easily double.

See our previous blog on Evian Resort and Hôtel Royal, before its closure for refurbishment - even then a treasure of art and architecture and a magnet for the elite of Europe who came to "take the waters". The blog mentions an alternative scenic route by train and boat, wellsuited to a departure that take you onward by train up into the Alps.